NASA's Arsenic-Eating Bug Press Conference [LIVE BLOG]

(Dec. 2) -- The time has finally come for NASA's heavily anticipated press conference, which has generated quite the Internet buzz since the space agency released an enticingly ambiguous press briefing previewing the announcement of an "astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life."

Rumors hold that NASA researchers have discovered an arsenic-based bacteria living in California's Lake Mono, a finding that radically expands the number of potential habitats for extraterrestrial life to places previously considered unsuitable.

Surge Desk is still hoping for an actual E.T.-style bicycle-riding alien.

Check back at 2 p.m. for Surge Desk's live-blogging coverage of the press conference:

2:56
That's all for the live feed folks. Looks like you'll have to throw in that VHS copy of E.T. to see an actual alien from another planet today. Thanks for tuning in.

2:53
Votek: Yeah, that would be awesome. But, "this is a huge deal."

2:52
USA Today question: Our readers are disappointed that you did not present a "walking talking alien." How do you respond?

2:47
Wolfe-Simon: Don't misunderstand, the entire microbe is not made out of arsenic.

2:42
Wolfe-Simon: This has vast "implications in understanding how our own bodies work."

2:38
Elser: Relating practical application to energy issues, but that is pretty "far off" and "science fiction."

2:34
Conrad: We will think more broadly about what we might characterize as habitable.

2:33
How does this finding affect NASA's astrobiology programs?

2:31
Q&A time, let's do this in an orderly fashion please.

2:30
Showing "Planet Earth" style footage to demonstrate how vast the "Tree of Life" is. Today we present a new member to that "Tree of Life."

2:28
Wolfe-Simon: "This is about thinking about life in a planetary context, and asking questions."

2:26
What about space exploration: We still don't know everything there is to know about what can make life habitable on another planet.

2:25
Conrad finds the result "delightful." As do we.

2:24
Next speaker is Pamela Conrad, astrobiologist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

2:21
A biological system can evolve to manage a weak link in the chain.

2:20
Benner has a steel chain to demonstrate the findings, things could get ugly...

2:19
Chemist Steve Benner (Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Gainesville, Fla.) will explain why chemists see this as an "exceptional" result.

2:17
Elser: Thanks a lot (sarcasm), now I need to change my university lectures.

2:15
Elser adds that our "scarce" phosphorus supplies are being rapidly depleted. Is P running out!?

2:14
It's "important," to say the least.

2:13
Arizona State University Prof. James Elser is going to offer some context. We rely on phosphorus to exist.

2:12
As expected, researchers believe that the discovery changes our understanding of life as we know it.

2:11
Artist's rendition of the microbe's structure. Looks like DNA, but it's not "life as it seems."

2:10
The central question: "Is there a microbe on earth that can substitute arsenic for phosphorus?"

2:08
Wolfe-Simon: Introducing GFAJ-1 -- "These are not little potatoes."

2:07
Lead author Felisa Wolfe-Simon is "always interested in exceptions to the rule." Didn't take long to bring up the arsenic-based bacteria discovery that leaked this morning.

2:05
Voytek: "Today's report is on terrestrial life, but not life as we know it."

2:00
And we're off. Panel discussion will be led by Mary Voytek, director, Astrobiology Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington.


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